Stormy Weather
by RisingStar313
Summary: Hazel, the new autumn spirit, is still adjusting. She's been cutting herself off from people for five years, and would be content to stay that way. But when Jack Frost gets involved, things get much more complicated. Trouble is brewing, not to mention the summer spirit always being hot on their tails! Jack/OC. Rated T for some mild swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey. This is my second fanfic ever, and my first for RotG. It takes place after Jack has been a guardian for a little more than a year. Hmm... yeah, I've got nothing else to say about this so far.  
**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own this stuff.**

* * *

Hazel smiled as she gracefully glided with the breeze. As she blew past the trees, the last of the leaves turned from bright green to various shades of yellow, orange and red. Coming to rest atop a large rock, the girl admired her handiwork. It reminded her of a Tiffany glass window she had seen once, at a museum. A clean blue river flowed down the center, with the autumn trees surrounding it. In the distance, she spotter gentle rolling hills, the sun setting overhead.

The autumn spirit sighed contentedly, and said aloud, "Right. That's that." She hopped off the rock and crouched by the water's edge, cupping her hands for a drink. Then she stood, turned around, and walked off into the deep woods she called home.

After ten minutes of walking, Hazel arrived at the small, secluded cottage. She plucked a ripe red apple off the tree in front before stepping inside and yawning. She had only been home once in the last month. The changing of the leaves was the busiest and most exhausting time of the year for her. She would go around the world not once, not twice, but _three times_ to create the perfect autumn effect. If all the leaves in an area changed at once, they would all fall within a short window of time, resulting in a whole lot of raking and a very short season.

The aroma of cinnamon greeted her when she entered. A faint smile traced her lips. _Home sweet home._ Being a spirit, she didn't need to sleep as much as mortals, and only did so 1-2 times per week. Lately she's been taking a lot of powernaps in various trees and the occasional backyard hammock. Hazel didn't mind it, really, but it felt good to know she had an actual bed to rest in that night.

Hazel slipped off her well-loved combat boots, placed them by the door, and went into the bathroom to wash up a little. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and ran a few fingers through her hair. Being so long, one would think it would get tangled a lot, but it didn't. One of the perks of immortality, she supposed. Back when she was human, it had been solid brown and perpetually frizzy. Now that she was the spirit of autumn, it was a patchwork of brown, light ginger, and intense dark red pieces. On a good day, it tumbled down her back in glossy waves.

She changed out of her gray tights and burgundy dress and put on her favorite ratty old sweatpants and a London Olympics t-shirt. She went to the kitchen, made herself a cup of tea, and went back to her room to recline on her soft bed. Then she grabbed _A Tale of Two Cities_ and read for about half an hour, until her eyelids grew heavy. The breezes blew out the candle on her nightstand, and Hazel slept.

When she woke, daylight and crisp fall air was pouring in through the open window. Hazel groaned and rolled over, but after a few minutes she made herself rise fully from her slumber. She walked to the kitchen and poured herself a steaming cup of apple cider. There were only two more places where the leaves needed turning, and then she had the rest of the season to do the fun stuff. This morning she would finish up the UK, and then she would jump across the pond to do the Midwestern US.

She always left that one for last out of dread. Even after five years, going back to the place she grew up in was painful. It always came with the memories. It reminded her that it was her fault, and that she had sealed the very thing she wanted most to prevent. She didn't want to see anyone. She was better off alone, anyway.

Hazel sighed and went to the oak wardrobe in her bedroom. "Hmm…" she said to herself (a habit she'd developed over the years), "I'm feeling comfort today." She selected a pair of black knit leggings, an oversized cream sweater, a dark red scarf, argyle socks and a gray hat for good measure. She slipped into her combat boots and checked to make sure she had her lucky bracelet, even though she never took it off. With her messenger bag slung over her shoulder and a bagel for the road, she was off in a gust of wind.

* * *

Jack was getting antsy. It was mid-October, still the primetime of autumn. He wanted it to be winter already, so he could engage in some snowballs and fun times. It was hard for the guardian of fun to admit, but… he was getting bored.

For most of the summer, he'd been crashing at the North Pole. He could mess with the elves, play pranks on the yetis, and indulge in all the cookies he could ever want. As long as he didn't mess up the Christmas preparations, North didn't mind. Of course, he would also venture out to Northern Russia and Canada to have some wintry fun. If he went too far south, though, the high-strung summer spirit would get mad, and he would have the danger of melting. He couldn't even go to visit Jamie in June or July.

_Hmm… speaking of Jamie, I should see how that Halloween costume's going._ A little cold snap in October wouldn't hurt anyone, would it? Glad of something to distract himself with, he sped out the window, heading towards Burgess. Riding the winds was a sensation he never failed to enjoy, and he couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

* * *

After Hazel finished the first leg of her day's work, she had the breezes set her down on a London street corner, just a small ways away from King's Cross Station. To her, it was a perfect day. It was cool enough outside to dress in layers, but not so cold that people were shivering. The sky was pale gray, and the bright red and orange leaves dotted the area like spots of paint.

She walked a few blocks down the road until she spotted a Starbucks. Quickly, she dashed in and grabbed the first frappuccino in sight, leaving a two-pound note in its place.

She took a sip and smiled. "Caramel. My favorite."

Another block down, she found an empty park bench and took a seat. A couple of squirrels took notice, and sniffed her feet. She chuckled softly. "Hi, there. How are you?" The squirrels didn't respond. To herself, she added, "Now I know I'm going mad."

She threw away her now-empty Starbucks cup and took off. "The leaves aren't going to change themselves. Up, up and away!" With that, she sailed over Britain and on to the open ocean.

* * *

**R&R, please and thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello again. This chapter was fun to write :) though I got stuck a couple times. Please leave reviews, thank you!**

**Disclaimer: This is not mine. I do not own it.**

* * *

After about half an hour of high-speed flying, Hazel spotted the Statue of Liberty in the distance. The corner of her lip turned up as she soared right over her head. Every building in Manhattan looked small from where she was, except for maybe the Empire State Building. Still, she was on literally on top of the world.

She passed over Central Park, admiring the color of the leaves with a small sense of pride. She had completed the East Coast a few days previously. Sure, she wasn't the one who invented all those different colors on the trees, but it was her job to make them appear. She was allowed to feel accomplished about that, wasn't she?

Hazel took a fifteen minute break to check out some of the street performers in the park. There was a magician who was made a little girl's Beanie Baby dog disappear under a handkerchief, only for it to reappear in another spectator's jacket hood. When he handed the dog back to her, she stared at it with new-found fascination, then smiled at the magician. There was also a pair of hip-hop dancers, with a hat out in front of them for donations. They were really good, but not very many people had given them any money, so Hazel quietly tossed in a five-dollar bill. A young man had a bunch of paintings to sell depicting classic New York images, and seemed to be doing rather well as a friendly smile lit up his face.

It was time to get a move-on. The breeze carried Hazel away again, and her eyes fell upon the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She sighed, wishing she could be inside. But there were more important things on her list right now. She made a mental note to come back tomorrow, before she went back to her cottage in England.

She flew out of New York, over New Jersey, and on into Pennsylvania. Ohio would come next, and it she would start her work there.

Over a wooded area near a small town, Hazel thought she saw something blue flash in the pale gray sky. But when she looked back to see what it was, there was nothing. At first she thought it was her imagination. Then she crashed into it head-on.

* * *

"Ow," mumbled Jack. He sat up on the ground and rubbed his head. He had managed to get the wind to slow his fall a little, but the whole experience had been quite painful, from the collision to the landing. Wait… collision. What had he hit? Or rather… who had he hit?

He grunted as he stood up. Then a groan about thirty feet away answered his question. He floated over and saw a girl he did not recognize laying on the ground. She was wearing a cream sweater with leggings and combat boots, with a worn-looking messenger bag hanging off her shoulder. She had pointy, elf-like ears that were double-pierced, and when he looked at her arms, he saw designs sort of like a henna tattoo. It was an intricate leafy pattern, like an elaborate vine curled around her forearms. Her hair was also fascinating. Some pieces were red, some brown, and some orange, like autumn leaves.

He offered a hand, which she stared at for a second, but did not take. After she stood up and brushed herself off, she said, "Geez. Watch where you're going next time, okay?"

"Sorry about that." Jack had never met her before, but he had a hunch as to who she was. "What's your name?"

"Hazel."

"Hazel what?"

"Just Hazel is fine. Yours?"

"Jack Frost, at your service." He made an exaggerated bow with a crooked smile. "So, Just Hazel, let me guess… you're that new autumn spirit? Old Man Fall's replacement?"

Hazel looked him over with her big brown eyes and then nodded. He couldn't help notice that she was very pretty, in that natural way. Those eyes were a little intimidating, but gentle underneath. "That's me. What are you doing here, anyway? It's October. It's still my season here."

Jack smirked. "Relax. I'm just visiting a friend."

Hazel raised an eyebrow, but didn't pursue the matter. Instead, she said, "Whatever. Just don't mess with my season. Especially on Halloween. If it's cold out, then all the worried mothers will make their kids wear long-sleeved t-shirts under their costumes for trick-or-treating, and that ruins it." For some reason, this made Jack smile.

"Fine. Hey, I'm not about to object to an evening full of free candy." This made Hazel smile a little, but she erased it quickly, like she was afraid to do so.

"Okay. Not that I don't love to bash some heads, but I have to go now."

Jack shot her a questioning look. "What's the rush?"

"Have you seen the size of the Midwest? It's big. I need to finish it today." Jack was confused by this statement.

"Finish what?"

Hazel rolled her eyes. "What do you think? I'm turning the leaves. Why else would I be here?"

"I don't know. Why not?"

"Do you always ask this many questions?"

"Yes. Does it matter?"

Hazel sighed with exasperation. "Never mind." She grabbed a gray hat that had fallen a few feet away from her and started to fly away when Jack realized something.

"Wait! You can control the winds too?"

She dropped back to the ground. "Um, no shit, Sherlock. You think you're the only season that has breezes?"

"No. I just… I never really thought about it before. I don't spend too much time with the other seasonal spirits. Old Man Fall would usually keep to himself. The summer spirit always tries to melt me, and spring is just a bit… strange." This comment got Hazel to smile again.

"Yeah. I've never met Lilly, but I've heard the stories. Sunny always yells at me for trying to cool things down before Labor Day. She can be a bit hotheaded."

"That's the understatement of the century." They both laughed, but again, Hazel seemed to stop herself, as if she were afraid of something.

"Seriously. I have to go. See you around." Jack watched as the winds carried her away.

"So," he mumbled to himself, "just Hazel. Who are you, really?"

He was still staring at the spot where she disappeared, when several excited voices cried his name. He turned around to see Claude, Caleb, Monty, Cupcake and Pippa, with Jamie in the lead. He cracked a smile. "Hey, guys! What've you been up to?"

They launched into their different stories from over the past two weeks since he'd seen them. Their teacher was making them do some science project, which was eating up a lot of their time. Jack never liked the idea of homework. It just seemed highly overrated, like shoes. Claude and Caleb's soccer team was making it to the league championships. Monty had gotten new glasses. Cupcake had gotten to drive her grandpa's tractor when she visited his farm. Pippa didn't say much, but Jack noticed that she had gotten her ears pierced. It made him a little sad, because it reminded him that they were getting older.

Jamie talked about the writing project he had to do for school. "It has to be about Halloween," he said. "What should I do?"

Jack suggested that he write about battling Pitch, except it would be Halloween, so he would be stronger. Then the hero of the story could take him down single-handed, because he is greater than fear. Jamie nodded, liking the idea. The teachers loved his writing. In a winter story, Jamie had written about Jack and his famous snowball fights. Apparently, they had congratulated him on his "incredible imagination" when it came to describing Jack.

"What's new at the Pole?" the boy asked.

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old. North and the yetis are busy at work, and the elves have discovered the magic of Jell-O." Jamie laughed at this.

He hung out in Burgess for about an hour, and then Jamie's mom called him inside. Jamie gave his friend a hug. "See ya, Jack!" Jack smiled waved, and Jamie ran off.

As he stood in the yard, a leaf fell from a tree above and landed on top of Jack's head. He grabbed it and looked at it. It was a bright red maple leaf, perfect in size and shape. He thought again of the autumn spirit. Then he snapped out of it and called the winds to take him back to the Pole.

* * *

**Please follow/review/all that good stuff! It would be much appreciated! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's another chapter, folks! Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Most unfortunately, I do not own Rise of the Guardians.**

* * *

When Jack slipped through the window of the Great Room at the North Pole, it was empty. He wasn't surprised. Christmas was a little over two months away, and North and the yetis had to make sure everything was ready in time. Jack floated into the kitchen and poured himself a goblet of eggnog, also grabbing a cookie off a plate on his way out.

The winter spirit plopped back on the couch and thought about his encounter with Hazel. She was nervous about something, obviously. It made Jack curious. Few had met the new autumn spirit, so there wasn't much that was known about her. He has heard that she typically resided in the UK, but her accent was definitely American. That was a bit odd. The other spirits had a tendency to stay near their places of origin. Unless she didn't remember… but even Jack, without his memories, had known that Burgess was his home.

He would've pondered a little longer, but North walked into the room. "Ah, hello Jack. I'm am guessing that you see Jamie? How is the little rascal?"

Jack smiled. "He's fine. Those silly schoolteachers are loading all the kids up with homework, though." After a short pause, he added, "I also met the new autumn spirit, Hazel. We sort of collided in the air."

This provoked North's interest. "Really? What is she like?"

"I don't know. Bit of an introvert. We only talked for, like, two minutes. She was okay."

The old Cossack smiled. "Just okay, huh? Nothing else?"

Jack raised his hands in defense. "Hey, like I said, _two minutes._ That's not very much time to get to know a person. She seemed nice enough to me."

"Whatever you say. I must go back to workshop; Phil wants me to help with the trains. He cannot get wheels to turn smoothly." With big, lumbering steps, North went back downstairs.

Once he had finished his eggnog, Jack retreated to the room at the Pole that had been deemed his whenever he needed it. Of course, Jack didn't technically have to stay at the Pole, and it wasn't unusual for him to disappear for days, sometimes weeks at a time. During the prime winter months, he was almost always out and about. After all, he had been on his own for three hundred years. One gets used to sleeping pretty much anywhere.

He liked having a "home base" at the Pole, though. The only home he had known before he became a Guardian was his lake in Burgess. He still spent a lot of time there, but warm weather made it hard. The North Pole was winter all year round. Of all the Guardians, he felt the closest with North. He wasn't necessarily a father figure, more like the crazy uncle. Still, though, he was the first person to show faith in Jack, helped him find his center, and guided him through the adjustment period that came with his new job.

Jack relaxed on the soft bed and stared at the ceiling, on which he was making intricate frost patterns to busy himself. Slowly, they worked their way across the entire surface. He smiled at his creation, and was about to start on the walls when something happened.

A feeling of trepidation washed over him. For just a moment, there was a wrench in his gut, like someone was ill or hurt. He sat bolt upright, and his heart was racing.

Something was very, very wrong.

* * *

By the time all the leaves in the Midwest were sufficiently reddened, the sun was setting overhead. Hazel needed a place to crash for a bit. After a couple minutes of searching, she noticed a treehouse.

The breezes set her down on the balcony, and she smiled as she stepped inside. Whoever had built the place was clearly a master. There wasn't a single nail or board out of place. There was a small table in the corner, and on it was an array of jars containing various nuts, rocks, and pieces of tree bark. Several action figures were lined up on the floor, ready for battle. A wayward bouncy ball sat still on its own. On the balcony railing was an unmistakable pirate's wheel.

Hazel noticed and inscription on the wall by the door. There were two lines. The first said, in neat handwriting, "Richard Green." The second was in much messier handwriting, and said, "Tommy Green, 8 yrs. Old." This gave her a brief warm feeling.

She stepped back out the door and sat on the railing, her legs dangling over the edge. It was a quiet night. Not even the birds or crickets were chirping. The only sound was the gentle breeze ruffling the leaves. Closing her eyes, Hazel let her mind wander.

She remembered many nights like this, when she would tiptoe out of the house and walk the wooded trails that she knew by heart. Something about the silence of the evening never failed to calm her. Maybe it was because the house was often too loud.

Her parents never noticed when she would sneak out. They were busy with their own problems, most of which were with each other. Her sister noticed, though. Occasionally she would follow, and the two would meet up at the top of the hill. They seldom said anything, just sat and listened to the blissful silence.

Then came the night of the storm. She was running, she couldn't stop. Then she remembered falling. Her leg. The water. Everything going dark.

Then she saw the moon. It was big and orange, a harvest moon. Its beams of light danced across her vision. The old man was there, he was whispering to her. Her whole body was glowing, she could hardly breathe, and the old man dissolved into a pile of leaves that blew away in the breeze.

Hazel snapped her eyes open and inhaled sharply. It wasn't just the memory that had shaken her, but also a sudden sense of foreboding. It felt like she had been punched in the gut. Something terrible had happened, but she didn't know what or how or why. All she knew was that she needed to find help, and fast.

* * *

**I promise the plot will pick up in the next chapter, which will be up at some point this week. Also, Hazel's backstory will make sense later. Please follow, review, etc. Thank you guys, and have a lovely day!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello, friends. New chapter time! And, and so you know, I will be away for two weeks starting Saturday. I will try to post one more chapter this week, but there will be no more after that until the 21st. Please be aware that I am _not_ abandoning you or the story.**

**And now, we proudly present... chapter 4!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians.**

* * *

Hazel rode the breezes swiftly to the first place that came to mind. She had only been there once before, but she remembered it well. It was a grove in the middle of the deep forest, with a magic barrier that kept out normal humans. The place radiated life. Flowers grew in every color of the rainbow, dewdrops glistened on the tips of bright green leaves, and the fruits on the trees were the sweetest in the world. Wildlife flourished all around, and the sun smiled overhead. It was the most beautiful place in the world.

You guessed it: The realm of Mother Nature.

There was only one problem with getting there. It was on Madagascar. Not only was that a great distance from where Hazel was, but it was a little too close for comfort to the Equator. Needless to say, the autumn spirit wasn't a huge fan of the African climate. Not to mention a certain someone who probably wouldn't be too happy about her presence there.

As she drew farther south, Hazel got a bit less comfortable. She wasn't allergic to the heat or anything, but that didn't mean she liked it. Besides, she was dressed for cool weather in her sweater and leggings. That didn't help the situation.

When she was midway across the Atlantic, she saw someone. It just wasn't who she was expecting.

"What are you doing here, Frost?" She yelled. The winter spirit waved and sailed closer to her. Since it was nighttime, the moon reflected off his snow-white hair in such a way that it seemed to glow. It complimented his pale skin and made him look altogether a bit spectral. Hazel quickly shoved that thought out of the way.

"Alas," said Jack, "we meet again. What are you doing here?"

"I asked you first."

"I'm going to see Mother Nature. Did you get a… bad feeling?" He looked her in the eyes, and she could see his worry.

Hazel replied, "Yeah. At least it wasn't just me. What do you think it is?"

"I don't know," he said, and shrugged. "Guess we'll find out."

They flew on in silence for about ten minutes, until they spotted the African coastline. They would be crossing the Equator shortly, and Hazel could see Jack's discomfort. If anyone was bothered by heat, it was certainly him. Funny, she had gone five years without seeing this kid, and now she'd run into him twice in one day. At least the second time, it wasn't literal.

Jack's voice broke the silence. "So, when's the last time you visited her?"

"Uh… I've only been once. It was five years ago, right after I became a spirit. A messenger hawk gave me a note, and showed me the way. You?"

"Back in '68. There was a little spat between me and Bunny that needed resolving. That was when she and Manny agreed to make a new spring spirit, and they chose Lilly."

"Ah. I see." Hazel smiled faintly, and Jack smiled back.

"We're almost at the Equator, right?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Then shouldn't our welcome wagon be here soon?"

As if on cue, a hot ray of golden light shot in their direction, barely missing them both. A girl with a stick-straight curtain of light brown hair and a deep tan fumed in their direction. She was wearing denim shorts, a peachy-colored tank top, and gold gladiator sandals. From a chain around her neck glittered a golden sun-shaped pendant.

"Sunny!" exclaimed Jack. "You're not still mad about that Christmas-in-the-Caribbean thing, are you?"

Her ocean-blue eyes glared at his icy-blue ones. "Yes."

"Come on. A little snow every once in a while never hurt anyone."

The summer spirit rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Whatever, Frost. Obviously there's something up, or I wouldn't see _both _of you putting yours asses on the line to go into my territory."

Hazel ventured, "Did you feel it? In your gut? Something's wrong."

Again, Sunny rolled her eyes. Obviously she was well-versed in that art. "Do you think I'm an idiot? Yeah, I felt it."

In her mind, Hazel was groaning. Sunny was one of the less charming spirits in the world. She reminded Hazel of those girls at school who got spray-tans in January, wore short skirts and high heels and sat next to their jock boyfriends at the popular table. She was always ornery, and always ranked herself above others. The only spirits she showed respect to were Mother Nature and MiM (but only a great fool would do otherwise).

There was no more conversation as the three sailed over Africa and on to Madagascar. Sunny was keeping her distance from Jack, both because they despised each other and because he had created a bubble of cold around himself to keep from melting. Hazel was in between the two, and remained so until they set down in the grove.

It was desolate. Patches of mud were left where there should have been grass. Flowers had been uprooted, and broken branches and rotting fruit littered the ground. Not a bird, bee or butterfly was in sight. The air was strangely chilly. The moon was blocked by dark clouds.

"Oh, my," Hazel whispered, shocked. "What happened here?"

She was startled when something pulled at the hemline of her oversized sweater. When she looked down, a lemur was staring up at her with surprisingly intelligent eyes. He seemed to be beckoning them all in the direction of a cave. The three spirits followed.

Lilly White, spirit of spring, was waiting just inside the entrance. Her blonde hippie hair fell to her hips, and she was wearing a green paisley tunic and bellbottom jeans. A thin scarf was wrapped around her head and tied in the back, and her feet were bare. Her expression was grim. Wordlessly, she patted the lemur on the head and ushered them inside.

The sight that awaited them was the most heartbreaking of all. Mother Nature herself was lying on a bed of grass, and she was ill. Her hair, which was normally a shiny, copper color, was hanging limply on her shoulders. Her cheeks lacked their rosy hue, and there were bags under her eyes. She looked so tired, when she should have been the picture of life.

All four seasonal spirits knelt at her side. Before any of them could speak, a malevolent laugh resonated from the shadows.

"Oh my, dear Sissy isn't looking so good, is she?" A woman stepped into view. She had ratty black hair, and was wearing a tattered black dress with fishnet tights and black leather boots. There was a spike collar around her neck, and her eyes reflected red. If Hazel had to describe her, it would be as insane, but scary and a little badass at the same time. The seasonal spirits each took a fighting stance.

"There's no need for that dearies. I just want to talk. And might I say, not a very warm welcome. Where are your manners?" She walked over to Jack. "Ooh, I forgot, you're a big _Guardian_ now. Do you think that will save you?" He stared her down. She sighed and walked away.

"Really, I'm surprised. None of you care for introductions? Very well, I'll do it myself. Eris, spirit of Chaos. Pleased to meet you."

Hazel said, angrily, "What do you want?"

Eris laughed. "Silly little girl, I would think that obvious! If I'm going to rule the world, I'll need that goody-two-shoes sister of mine out of the way."

Jack scrunched his eyebrows. "You're her sister?"

"Yes. Twins, actually. Though mother and father always liked her better. When she was off singing in the trees and feeding the birds, I was practicing alchemy. I was one of the best out there, but it didn't matter. My accomplishments were always overshadowed by hers. Who cares about turning rocks into diamonds and lead into gold? I was second-best. They gave her everything, while I spent my days in the cellar. Of course everyone _loves_ Mother Nature, but hardly anyone even acknowledges my existence anymore."

Jack softened slightly, like he understood. Hazel almost wanted to feel sorry for Eris, but quickly reminded herself that Eris was _evil._ Sympathizing with the enemy would get them nowhere.

The spirit of Chaos continued her monologue. "It took me awhile to perfect this little brew. The poison will spread, and soon, nature and order will die. Finally, it will be my turn in the spotlight! Chaos will rule the world!"

"It won't! We can beat you!" Jack yelled. Eris cackled, which was a truly disturbing sound.

"Oh, but you see, not even the Guardians can restore order. And seeing as the only spirit who can will be dead in a few days, I would behave if I were you. I might just have to give you over to my prince." She cackled again, louder this time, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Sunny was the first to speak. "Well, this is just great. What are we supposed to do?" Hazel ignored her, and knelt next to Lilly at Mother Nature's bedside.

Despite everything, the dying queen smiled at them. "Don't worry. I know you can find a way. You four were not chosen at random, after all."

Lilly looked like she wanted to cry, but held back. "How? We can't do this on our own."

"Rally the other nature spirits. Be their leader. Jackie can help you find them. No matter what happens, stick together. Let your differences bring you together, not push you apart." Lilly nodded.

Mother Nature whispered something to one of the lemurs. He went through a doorway, and returned a minute later with a four-and-a-half-foot tall rabbit.

Wait… a rabbit with _antlers._

Hazel's first thought escaped her lips. "The Jackalope is _real?_"

She smiled. "Call me Jackie." Then she knelt by her queen and they had a short, whispered conversation. Mother Nature then closed her eyes, with a dreamy expression on her face. Jackie patted her hand, and then stood to face the seasonal spirits.

"Alright. Let's find the others. Anyone you can think of who could help."

Jack smiled mischievously, like he had an idea. "I know a few people. Where will we meet up? No offense, but it's a bit warm for me down here, and I would be melting if it were the heat of the day."

Sunny retorted, "We can't go to the North Pole either. Half of us would freeze."

There was a short debate, but they finally agreed to meet at Jackie's home in Wyoming, near Yellowstone National Park. It was also decided that they should travel in pairs, in case Eris's agents tried anything. Sunny went with Lilly, and Hazel went with Jack.

"Good luck," said Jackie, and she tapped the ground twice with her big rabbit foot. A tunnel appeared, and she hopped in. Then the ground closed again, like the tunnel had never been there at all.

Hazel glanced at Jack, who was grinning at her. He extended his elbow, and said, "Shall we?"

Hazel exhaled and looked away, trying to suppress a smile. "Come on," she said, and took off.

* * *

**Ah. That was fun.**

**In case any of you have never heard of the Jackalope, it is a North American legend. It is a jackrabbit with the antlers of an antelope, hence the name. And yes, I made her female. You'll see why... ;)  
**

**Stay tuned, and please take a minute to feed the hungry review box!**

**Thank you!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hi there. Here's another chapter, choc full of eye-rolling, mild seasonal spirit drama, and some general amusement. Get excited. I know you are.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own RotG, okay?**

* * *

"So," Hazel inquired, "where is it we're going, exactly?"

Jack flashed her another sideways grin. "To visit a friend of mine."

It felt strange to him, having another person flying alongside him. He had used the wind to carry others before, but it was different when someone else was manipulating the wind with him. Hazel's method was a bit different from Jack's as well. Jack had always gone for speed and thrill. Hazel was more graceful, and if her eyes were closed, she would've looked like she was sleeping. She caught him staring, and there was an awkward second of eye contact before she looked away. Jack's cheeks flushed a pale shade of blue.

He was curious about the autumn spirit, so he attempted conversation. "What's your story, anyway?"

Hazel glanced at him. "My story… meaning what?"

"You know. Who you were, where you're from. Why he chose you."

"Oh." The sound was small, and Jack could tell she was uneasy.

Feeling bad, he added, "You don't have to tell me. It's fine." After a moment's hesitation, he also added, "Do you, uh, not remember?"

Hazel sighed, not bitterly, but just tired and a little wistful. Then she gave him a melancholy smile. "It's not that. There's just not much to tell. I didn't do anything to be chosen. I wasn't special. I've not the faintest idea why he picked me for this, and not someone else."

This made Jack a bit sad. He remembered well what it was like to feel confused about your identity and your purpose. He had been wondering for 300 years until he figured it out. It was odd; Jack had longed for any sort of company in his years alone, but it seemed that Hazel wanted to be alone. _I'll have to fix that. One does not simply walk away from Jack Frost._

"Alright," he said. "Let's go one question at a time. First off, where are you from?"

"You're really persistent."

"Yes, I am. Are you going to answer?"

After a few seconds, she gave in. "Michigan."

"Where do you live now?"

"I have a cottage in England."

"Why there?"

"I like it better over there." Jack knew there was more to this answer, but he didn't push it.

"Okay. Favorite color, favorite food, and favorite animal."

"Red, apple dumplings, and wolverines. But that has nothing to do with the football team."

The interview continued for another five minutes, and Jack noticed her gradually getting more relaxed. He smiled. _Mission successful._

On the ground below them, Jack saw a familiar tunnel in the ground. "Family reunion time," he mused. He led Hazel inside. Everything turned dark as they plummeted down.

* * *

Hazel rubbed her head. Tumbling down a dark tunnel was one of the less fun things she had done in her lifetime. She stood up, and then audibly gasped as took in her surroundings.

It was like being inside Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, minus the oompa loompas. Bright green grass, colorful flowers, springtime everywhere. A rainbow river flowed through the meadows. The unmistakable scent of chocolate was in the air. Then hazel noticed a bunch of eggs. Eggs… with feet?

"Oh, glory. Is this-"

"Ssh!" Jack put a finger to his lips and pressed against the wall. Hazel did likewise, but whispered, "If your friend lives here, why are we hiding?" Jack said nothing, but grinned with that mischievous glint in his eye. He crouched and moved forward silently, then ducked behind a rock. He checked that the coast was clear before continuing.

Hazel figured it would be best just to go with it. She followed Jack down a trail, over a couple hills, and into a cave when some giant stone eggs (she'd learned not to be surprised by anything anymore) passed by.

Jack motioned for her to stay there. Then he crept out, peeking around a corner first. Hazel watched him floating an inch off the ground so he made not a sound. Then she saw a large gray mass of fur, hunched over with its back to the winter spirit. She held her breath. He held his staff at the ready, formed something in his hand, raised his arm to strike-

_SPLAT. _The gray creature yelped and jumped a good two feet in the air, dropping an egg and paintbrush on the ground. Jack was twenty feet up, laughing wildly.

In a thick Australian accent, the giant rabbit yelled, "FROST!"

Hazel hadn't expected the Easter Bunny to be so… fierce. He wasn't anything like the fluffy white rabbits at the mall. Instead, she saw a 6'1'' man-rabbit with warrior tattoos and a six-pack. He had bronze plates on his forearms, and a sash of egg-bombs strapped across his chest.

"This'd better be good, Frostbite. That was a perfectly good googie, ruined!"

"Oh, come on, Bunny. Aren't you happy to see me?"

The Bunny gave him a look that said, _Really? No._

Hazel walked hesitantly out of the cave and cleared her throat. The man-rabbit turned to her in surprise.

"Um, hi," she said. "I'm Hazel."

"E. Aster Bunnymund," he replied. "Nice to meet you."

"We need your help. Mother Nature is dying."

His eyes widened. "Wha- No! That's not possible. How?"

"Her sister, Eris, the Spirit of Chaos. She's poisoned her somehow, so that natural order will collapse and she can take over the world."

Bunny nodded, frowning angrily. "I knew she would strike sooner or later, but I never thought she'd- we have to stop her!"

"We will. All of the nature-type spirits are getting together. Sunny and Lilly are spreading the word as well."

Jack floated down to join us. "There isn't much time. We have to get going."

"Right," said Bunnymund. "Where are we going?"

"_Ha. _ I'll be leading the way."

"What does that- AAGH!"

Jack had swept Bunny off his feet- literally- to carry him with the wind. Hazel followed behind. They flew through the tunnel and into the sky. And Bunny was _not _happy about it.

"Oh, no… this is it… PUT ME DOWN!" He was wriggling about, trying to reach the ground, but it was no use. Jack was obviously enjoying the moment very much. Hazel couldn't help laughing as well; it wasn't every day you saw a giant flying rabbit. "DAMMIT FROST!"

They flew at top speed to collect some other minor nature spirits. Hazel called her dryad friends and the naiad from her creek. They spread the word to the others. They made their way back to North America, where Jack called in Babe the Blue Ox and the Groundhog.

After a couple hours of flying around the globe, they set down at the location Jackalope had given them. Bunny looked rather green in the face underneath his gray fur. Hazel herself felt very, very drained. She wasn't used to riding the wind so fast for so long. Jack looked worn out as well, but he was clearly more accustomed to such endeavors.

"Where's this burrow she told us about?" Jack asked.

"I don't know, just look around." Hazel replied.

They did for a few minutes. Bunny had relaxed once he realized the rest of the trip would be made underground. He was hopping around and twitching his nose in that rabbit-ish way. Hazel walked farther out, turning around and searching for a hole in the ground. She stepped back, but suddenly there was nothing underneath her foot.

She let out a small cry, and started falling, but something cold grabbed her forearm. Jack was suppressing a laugh. He pulled her up.

"Found it," she said nonchalantly. Bunny came over, and when he did, his eyes drifted to the leafy, henna-like designs on her arms.

"What's with the tattoos?" he inquired.

"They've been there ever since I became a spirit. What's with yours?"

"They're Pooka warrior tattoos."

"Nice."

They all jumped down the hole, and several seconds later landed inside a huge underground chamber. The walls were decorated with country band posters, Native American tapestries, and old "Wanted" posters. She could hear a roar of voices down a tunnel hallway, through a pair of saloon doors. Hazel walked in, and was greeted by a sight unlike any other.

A couple dozen nature spirits had gathered there. A fire spirit was arguing with a dryad about something. Lilly was in deep conversation with the Groundhog. A circle of naiads and nereids were looking in Jack's direction and whispering. Various animal spirits were running amuck.

It was all stopped by an ear-piercing whistle. Everyone looked to the front of the room, where Jackie stood. Bunny's eyes widened noticeably. He nudged Jack. "Um… who- who's that?"

Jack grinned. "The Jackalope. Jackie to her friends." He looked at Hazel, and his face said it all. _Classic._

Jackie greeted the mass of spirits, and told them the full story on Mother Nature. Bunny didn't appear to be listening, because he was still less-than-subtly gawking at her. Jack snapped his fingers in front of the Pooka's face to snap him out of it.

"The most important thing," said Jackie, "is to find a cure as soon as possible. Quite frankly we need a miracle."

"The fountain of youth!" yelled a naiad.

"We could try an herbal remedy," suggested Lilly.

"If you take stone from a certain mountain in the Andes-"

"What about human medicine?"

"I know an old witch who could find a spell-"

The ideas went on, from several nature spirits who were positive they had the answer. Then a single, raspy voice carried through the room, and a hush fell over the crowd.

"The Phoenix."

A very, very old dryad stepped forward. The crowd parted for her respectfully. Even Jack was humbled. She spoke again.

"The Phoenix is a legendary creature. A bird of fire, it is rarely seen, and even more rarely speaks to anyone. It is as old as Mother Nature herself, but every couple centuries or so, it bursts into flames and is reborn from the ashes. Among other powers, its tears can heal any injury or sickness, even the poison of Chaos herself."

The spirits considered this, nodding optimistically. Jackie spoke again. "Where can we find this bird?"

"That's the trick," the dryad said. "No one knows. It is a secretive being. I have seen it only twice in my lifetime, and I am the oldest redwood tree in the forest. Most never see it at all."

"Well that's just great," said Bunny. "The one thing that could save us, and it could be anywhere."

"We can't lose hope," said Jackie. "We will scour the globe for this Phoenix. As soon as it is found, it can go to Madagascar and heal Mother Nature."

The crowd dispersed, leaving only Jackie, Bunny, and the four seasonal spirits.

Jackie pulled them into a huddle. "Remember what Mother Nature said: You four have to stick together. Whatever this is, it will take all of you to beat it."

Sunny scoffed, "I'm not working with _him,_" gesturing to Jack.

"Likewise." he said. "Don't expect me to suddenly be all chummy with Heat Wave over here."

"At least I'm not the spirit of frostbite."

"No, you're just the spirit of sunburns and mosquitoes."

"Blizzard Brain!"

"Hothead!"

Cold and hot winds were colliding, and a miniature tornado was forming between them. Lilly chose that moment to step in.

"Whoa! Calm down, relax. Hate won't get you anywhere. You have to find some peace and love in your hearts."

Sunny and Jack, though both still fuming, backed down. Hazel smiled at Lilly. It was helpful to have a hippie chick in the group, for these moments. Once things were a bit calmer, Jackie continued.

"I know we're all tired, so the best thing right now is to get some rest and prepare for what is to come. Keep your eyes open." They were dismissed. Bunny told Jack that they would have a meeting with the Guardians at the North Pole to see if any of them had ideas. Jack said he would be there as soon as he took care of something. Then he sauntered over to Hazel.

"Young lady, may I escort you home?"

"Um… why?"

"We're not supposed to travel alone, remember? Eris's minions could be out there, waiting to ambush you."

"Oh, really," she said, raising an eyebrow. "And who will be your escort after you drop me off?"

"Meh. I've had 300 years of experience with these things."

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Honestly, I think I'll be fine going by myself."

"I insist."

"Go away."

"Heh. You're being followed."

Hazel groaned, but begrudgingly took off with Jack behind her. She tried to be annoyed, but it was hard. After closing herself off for five years, it felt kind of nice to be with someone else, even if it was the happy-go-lucky winter spirit. Still, that logical part of her brain kept saying,_ No, no, no. You can't. You will only get hurt._

They didn't talk this time as they sailed through the skies. It got darker as they traveled east, and by the time they reached Hazel's cottage, the stars were out and shining. She set down and walked up the short cobblestone path. Right in front of the door, she turned around to face Jack.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" he said with his crooked smile.

"Whatever you say, Frosty." She opened the door, then turned back. "Watch yourself out there."

"Care to show me around?"

"Good night, Jack."

"But-"

"Good night."

"Fine. Sweet dreams, Hazel."

"Right. Bye." She smiled and closed the door behind her. She slipped on some leaf-pattern pajama pants and a black, v-neck t-shirt. Worn out by the events of the last two days, she flopped into bed and fell asleep.

* * *

Jack flew away from Hazel's cottage, spinning and doing backflips in the air. He called the winds to carry him quickly to the North Pole. But first, he took one last look at the house. The lights inside switched off. He smiled.

"Good night."

* * *

**That was fun. **

**There will be a two-week break before I can post the next chapter, because I will be far, far away. Sorry about that. At least it will give y'all time to leave some, ahem, REVIEWS, please. It doesn't have to be much. Just a little sign, so I know. Anything. Anything at all.**

**Thank you so very much!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey y'all! Terribly sorry for the long wait. Like I said, I've been away at singer-songwriter camp. Good news, though. A) I wrote a song about Jack's story, which may or may not show up on Youtube later in life and B) I wrote you another chapter!**

* * *

When Jack slipped through the window of North's workshop, the other four guardians were waiting for him. Bunny had apparently filled them in on the details, and they all had worried looks on their faces.

"Crikey, mate, what took you so long? I thought Eris had gotten ya."

He smirked. "Oh. You do care."

Bunny glared, but didn't say anything more. Phil the yeti brought out a tray of eggnog and cookies, which the guardians took before sitting down. North crossed his arms and addressed the group.

"Now we get down to business. Not only the children, but the entire world is in danger. To save it, we must find Phoenix."

"Except no one knows where he is," added Jack.

"Exactly. Are there any ideas?"

Tooth flitted up from her chair and hovered. "I saw him once," she said. "It was when I was younger, back in India. I was all alone, I didn't have my fairies yet. Then I saw it. A huge firebird, lighting up the night sky. It made me feel so…" She trailed off, at a loss for words. Her tone sounded wistful. Sandy nodded in understanding, and made a picture above his head of the Phoenix. Even in golden sand, the creature was magnificent. Flames curled off its massive eagle wings, leaving behind a trail like a shooting star. Its head was like an arrow; sleek skull, sharp beak, and a bold expression. Jack wasn't a huge fan of fire, but he couldn't deny he was impressed.

Suddenly, Bunny's ears perked up. Jack could imagine a lightbulb turning on above his head.

"I've just remembered," the Pooka said. "There's an old story among my people. There's a certain cave hidden deep in the Himalayas. Only those who are truly brave, strong, and have love in their heart can find it and make it there safely." Jack thought this was a little cheesy, but he didn't say anything.

Bunny continued. "Once you find the cave, you have to pass a test of some sort. Only then can you meet the ancient bird that lives inside. It is said that he can heal the sick and wounded, give endless knowledge, and spread light to the darkness."

The guardians pondered this. Jack spoke. "Do you think it's him?"

Bunny shrugged. "It very well might be. Heal the sick? Spread light? Worth a shot if you ask me." The others nodded in agreement.

"But who?" asked North. "We need to choose the right person for job."

Bunny volunteered, but North argued that he was better in colder climates and would be more suited. The two bickered while Tooth suggested that she go. Sandy was making pictures above his head feverishly in an attempt to get a say. Jack sighed, and banged his staff on the floor. Everything within a five-foot radius was covered in a thin layer of ice, and the sound echoed, silencing the other guardians.

"Guys," he said. "None of you are going on this mission. I am."

They all opened their mouths to protest, but Jack held up his hands and continued.

"It has to be me, and the other three seasonal spirits. That's why she called us. It's our job to find the Phoenix and restore order." The other guardians could not argue.

"Then let's tell them," said Bunny. "I know about the realms of spring and summer, but I'm not sure about autumn. She might be harder to find."

"I know where Hazel lives. I can get her and bring her here," said Jack. "You can grab Lilly and Sunny, and use your tunnels to get them to the Pole. Just don't mention the destination to Sunny until after she gets here."

Bunny frowned slightly. "How do you know where she lives? No one knows anything about her."

Jack looked at the floor, where he had been subconsciously making intricate frost patterns with the end of his staff. "I escorted her home. That's why I was late. I wanted to make sure she wasn't sneak-attacked by Eris' agents or something."

Bunny looked at him curiously. "You said you only met her a few days ago, eh?"

"Yeah…"

"So why are you so concerned about her all of a sudden?"

"Um… I don't know. It's just that… she's… interesting."

There was a moment, and then Bunnymund burst out laughing. The others sent him questioning looks.

Jack glared at him. "What?"

Once he could speak, he turned to North. "Did you see his face? Oh, this is brilliant." North still seemed confused. Then Bunny said, "Look at 'im, now he's blushing!"

"Wha- No I'm not!" But unfortunately, the Pooka was right. Jack's cheeks were undeniably flushing a pale shade of blue.

Then it clicked for North. He chuckled. "I see."

Jack narrowed his eyes at the giant rabbit.

"I'm not the one who got all googly-eyed over the Jackalope.

This wiped the smug smile off Bunny's face. Tooth and Sandy seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation. Sandy simply wore a wild grin, while Tooth was giggling softly into her hand. Baby Tooth, however, did not look pleased. Her arms were crossed, her skin was a reddish tint, and she was giving Jack a small death glare.

He sighed. "Can we just get back to the issue at hand?"

The others guardians cooled down and complied. They settles to bring the other seasonal spirits to the Pole, where they would strategize and plan their search for the Phoenix. Tooth ordered that they all take a two-hour powernap until sunrise. When it was time, Bunny tapped the ground and disappeared through a tunnel to get Lilly and Sunny. Jack slipped out the window.

He felt the familiar rush of riding the winds. It whipped through his white hair affectionately and carried him south.

When he was somewhere over Norway, Jack thought he saw something in the corner of his eye. He stopped and turned around, scanning the horizon, but there was nothing. He flew a little slower after that, keeping his eyes open for danger and holding his staff at the ready. He knew that Eris was biding her time, waiting for one moment of vulnerability to strike.

Pitch was one thing. He was weak to begin with, and he only affected the children's beliefs. That was bad, but Eris was worse. She already had strength from all the chaos that was already in the world, and she could affect everyone and everything on the planet. She had also mentioned a prince. She wasn't working alone. That made her even more dangerous.

There was a sound on Jack's right. He faced the direction from which it came, narrowing his eyes. He heard it again and held up his staff to defend himself. Then he heard the same sound, except behind him. Startled, he jumped and pivoted in the air, briefly losing his defensive position. That was when he felt the pain in his upper left arm.

He grimaced and pulled out a black arrow. Had it not just pierced his skin, he would have appreciated the fine craftsmanship. The material was curious; not quite wooden, and not quite metallic. Its point was incredibly sharp, and silvery-blue blood trickled from a wound that was about an inch deep. He got a good look at it once he took off his hoodie.

Jack had a high pain tolerance. He had dealt with a lot of injuries on his own before, and many worse than this. Still, the place the arrow had penetrated was burning. He wondered if it was poisoned. Would Eris try to take him out that quickly? Jack doubted it. She seemed to want him for something, and he wouldn't be of much use to her dead. He spied for any more enemies, but there was no sign of them.

_She's playing with us, _he thought. _Weakening us little by little and trying to throw us off._ He shrugged it off. The wound hurt, but it would take more than that to scare off Jack Frost. He tore a piece off his white t-shirt and tied it around his arm, then carefully slipped his hoodie back on and stuck the arrow in his pocket. He flew as fast as he could to the little cottage in the woods.

* * *

Hazel shivered. The sun was stabbing her barely-open eyes, but the room was cold. Had she forgotten to close the window at night? She didn't remember opening it.

"Hey."

Hazel yelped involuntarily and sat bolt upright, startled at hearing someone else's voice. She looked up and saw a white-haired boy leaning against her wardrobe. Hazel sighed in exasperation.

"Dammit, Frost, don't do that." She threw back her covers and stood up. "What is it now?"

She wanted to curse that boyish grin, but Jack made it so hard to be angry. "The guardians sent me to get you," he said. "We have a plan to find the Phoenix, and it involves the four seasonal spirits."

Hazel nodded, and trudged into the kitchen, followed by Jack. She put the kettle on the stove for tea, and combed through the pantry for food. Settling on crepes, she pulled out the supplies and set them on the table. Hazel grabbed a large bowl from the shelf, mixed up the ingredients, and put the skillet on stove. She noticed Jack watching her curiously.

"What?" she asked.

Jack blinked, and then shrugged. "Nothing. It's just… you seem so used to it all. Do you do this often?"

"Yes," Hazel replied. "When I have time, anyway. I only sleep a couple times per week, and when I'm in a rush I usually grab a bagel to go."

"Don't you ever get tired of being alone?"

Hazel paused and looked up at him. Did she? Being alone was what she thought was best. It was easier not to get attached to anyone. It was lonely, but it was safer.

She looked down again at the batter she was ladling onto the skillet.

"I don't know."

Once the crepes were all done, she took the plate to the table and set it between herself and Jack. The winter spirit didn't seem to know how to eat them. She supposed he had never had crepes before. Hazel smiled and spooned some jelly into the middle of one crepe and folded in over, then sprinkled powdered sugar over the top. Jack did the same, and they ate.

"So," Hazel ventured, "where are we meeting this time? Jackalope's place again?"

Jack smiled and shook his head. "Nope. The Pole."

Her eyes widened. "As in the _North Pole_, where Santa lives? You've got to be kidding."

He chuckled. "It's the guardians' headquarters. I don't think Sunny will be too happy about it, but Bunny has an idea of where the Phoenix might be, and we need to plan carefully."

"Fine. Just give me a minute and we'll go." She disappeared into her bedroom, and changed into dark jeans, a big gray sweater over a long-sleeved burgundy shirt, and her beloved combat boots. She pulled a black knit hat onto her head.

When she walked back out, she noticed Jack inspecting his left arm. There was a small hole in his blue hoodie where a silvery-blue liquid was leaking out. Was it… his blood?

"Jack…" she said tentatively. "What happened?"

He quickly let go of his arm and turned so she couldn't see. "Nothing," he said. "Just a scratch."

Hazel rolled her eyes and motioned for him to take off his hoodie. He begrudgingly complied, and she untied the makeshift bandage and inspected the wound with a frown. He winced when she touched the area around it.

"'I can handle myself,' he says. Geez. What did this?"

Jack pulled a black arrow from his jacket pocket. Hazel looked at it closely, spying no trace of toxin. That was reassuring, at least.

Jack tried to look relaxed. "It's fine, honestly. I've gotten hurt in the past and taken care of myself just fine. I wasn't reborn yesterday."

Hazel flicked his opposite forearm. "I don't care. You're getting this properly treated." She escorted Jack into the bathroom, where she kept some first-aid supplies. He sat down while his wound was cleaned and bandaged carefully. When Hazel was finished, he stood up and smirked at her.

"Will I live, doctor?"

With another eye-roll, she replied, "Yes, I think so. Now, let's go to the North Pole."

* * *

**Thanks, and please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. Just a little bit.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I hope you know, I could've been working on my summer English paper today like a sensible person, but instead, I wrote a shiny new chapter. And all for YOU. Yes, you, my lovely readers.**

**Please leave some reviews. Seriously, they're my motivation to keep going and do quicker updates. Any suggestions are welcome! And constructive criticism. I want to become a better writer, and you guys can help me do that.**

**Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: (forgot this a couple times, whoops.) I do not own Rise of the Guardians :(**

* * *

The Pole was unlike anything Hazel had ever seen. It was a huge structure with Russian-style turrets and a long runway stretching out from an icy cave. Inside, the ceiling was painted with stars, and magic toy creature swam through the air. The top floor, where she and Jack came in, was a cozy Nordic living room with a crackling fireplace and comfy furniture. Looking over the balcony to the lower floors, Hazel saw a bustling workshop, with yetis hard at work making toys and a bunch of elves causing mischief.

"Wow…" was all she could say. Jack shot her a sideways grin.

Heavy steps echoed from the hallway, and in walked the man himself, Santa Claus. That is, Nicholas St. North. He was more or less what she had expected. Tall, bearded, and wearing a red suit. However, she didn't expect him to seem so… badass. She could imagine the guy fixing up an old Harley Davidson in the garage. He had tattoos on his arms, one reading "Naughty" and one "Nice." In a belt around his hips, she spotted a pair of swords. She probably should've expected the Russian accent.

"Ah, there she is! Hazel, yes? Welcome." A couple of elves skittered over to her, holding a plate of cookies. Judging from the guilty looks on their faces, she politely declined.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. St. North," she said. "I know some kids who would give anything to be here right now."

He chuckled. "I am sure. Please, just North is fine. Jack has told us about you." As he said this, he put a hand on Jack's shoulder, accidentally shaking him a little. Jack glared slightly at North. Hazel raised her eyebrows, and a small smile traced her lips.

"Bunny should be here any minute," North continued. As if on cue, a tunnel opened up in the middle of the floor. Three bodies jumped out. One was Bunny himself. The other two were Lilly and Sunny.

Lilly stared at the ceiling and slowly spun around. "Psychedelic," she whispered. "The stars align perfectly."

Sunny was considerably less pleased. She shivered in her tank top and shorts. "Seriously?" she huffed. "You had to take us _here, _of all places? Why not Tahiti or Miami or something?"

"Take a chill pill, Sunshine," Jack said from the other side of the room. "The fate of the world kinda depends on this."

The summer spirit pouted. "The fate of the world can be decided just as easily somewhere _warm_."

North clapped for their attention, and beckoned them into the dining room, where the other guardians were waiting at the table. Everyone took a seat, except for Bunny, who was standing at the front of the room by a chalkboard.

He began to speak. "So, this secret mountain. I've looked up all the references to it in Pookan records, and I believe it is one of the mountains adjacent to Mt. Everest. The entrance will be near the peak, so prepare for high winds and cold temperatures."

Jack nodded. "No problem." Then he winced slightly as Sunny kicked him in the shin under the table. Bunny looked at him seriously.

"Wouldn't be so sure of that, Frostbite. The cold may be fine with you, but not so much for the others. As for the wind, it will be very powerful, especially with the enchantments surrounding the cave. You won't be able to control it." This made Jack shrink back a little.

Hazel was getting nervous. Jack had explained the legend to her on the way there, but it hadn't quite sunk in at first. Now that it had, she couldn't help but think how impossible it sounded. Go to the peak of a mountain almost impossible to climb? "Brave" was not a word that described Hazel, and she would be the first to admit it. When things had been rough back home, she ran away, and she'd been running ever since.

"If you make it inside the cave-"

"When. When they make it inside the cave." North interrupted Bunny, who sighed.

"Fine. _When_ you brumbies make it inside the cave, there will be a series of obstacles. It will require working together, and you all have to make it across, so please try not to kill each other along the way." When he said this, he looked pointedly at Jack and Sunny.

Now North spoke. "It is in plans that you leave tomorrow morning. For now, we eat and rest." He dismissed them. Sunny groaned loudly.

"This so cannot be happening. There's no way I'm going to the top of the Himalayas. If this Phoenix is _so _wise, shouldn't he know about Mother Nature already and be on his way to help her? Why do we have to risk our asses to go tell him?"

Hazel wanted to bitch-slap her across the face so badly, but she restrained herself. Sunny had always had a talent for making everything about her all the time. Not to mention the superiority complex she had over Hazel. Almost every time they would run into each other, Sunny would remind Hazel that people liked summer better because it was all fun and games, and autumn was a buzzkill because school started again. It was a lame insult, but it got annoying after a while. Hazel had always enjoyed when school started again, because it kept her busy and got her out of the house for most of the day. She never told Sunny that, though. It would only make it worse. The best way to deal with the summer spirit was to ignore her, so that's precisely what Hazel did.

Back in the main room, the yetis and elves had set up a table of cookies and drinks. Hazel was happy to see a crock pot of hot apple cider. After she ladled some into a mug for herself, she grabbed a chocolate chip cookie and stationed herself on the couch in the corner. Ten minutes later, Jack came over, licking what looked like a frozen cup of cocoa with a spoon stuck in it.

"Are you going to be antisocial all afternoon, or do you want to meet the rest of my family?" She smiled faintly at him and got up. He led her to a woman who was half-hummingbird, half-human. She was very pretty, and her smile was perfectly white. "This is Toothiana."

"Hi, Hazel," she said perkily. "Call me Tooth. I've heard a lot about you. How are your teeth?"

Hazel wasn't expecting that question. "My- my what?"

Without further explanation, the Tooth Fairy opened Hazel's mouth and inspected what was inside. "Hmm," she said, "all straight, and I can see you've been flossing, but they're a bit yellow." It didn't sound critical, but rather concerned in a motherly way. "Jack tells me you moved to England. Do you drink a lot of tea?" Hazel nodded, unable to speak with the fairy's hands in her mouth. "That would do it. That's the problem with Britain. They're simply not careful enough about their teeth."

"Tooth," said North from the other side of the room, "fingers out of mouth."

The fairy flushed a little, then released Hazel's jaw. "Nice to meet you," she said, smiling at the two of them, and fluttered away. Jack then brought Hazel over to a short, kind-faced man who appeared to be made of golden sand. He was floating about a foot off the ground with his eyes closed. Was he… asleep?

"Sandy," Jack said, lightly tapping him on the shoulder. "Sandy? Sandy, wake up." The man opened his eyes, looking surprised at the pair in front of him. Then he recovered, and formed a bowler hat out of magic sand, which he tipped at Hazel in greeting.

"Hazel, this is the Sandman. Sandy this is Hazel, Spirit of Autumn." Sandy nodded and started to flash pictures above his head. It went so fast, Hazel couldn't make out what it meant, but Jack seemed to get it. He nodded at Sandy and turned to Hazel. "Sandy wants to know what your favorite marine animal is."

She was a tad confused about that. "Uh, narwhal. Why?"

Sandy closed his eyes, and waved his hands in the air. Golden sand swirled around him, forming into one solid shape. It formed a three-foot-long narwhal, which swam through the air around her for about thirty seconds until it dissolved. Hazel couldn't help but smile. It was a magical moment.

"That's awesome," she said to the Sandman. He beamed at her, and made a small bow before being swept into conversation with Bunny. Hazel and Jack turned away and went back to the cookie table.

Suddenly, a tiny fairy was hovering in front of Jack's face. He smiled at her.

"Hey there, Baby Tooth. This is Hazel." The fairy turned to look at Hazel, but gave her an unfriendly glare and stuck her little tongue out. Jack noticed and frowned. "What's gotten into you, Baby Tooth? Hazel's a friend." The fairy looked at him and back at Hazel, and then was gone.

"Sorry about that. I don't know what her problem is. What do you say I show you around a little?" Hazel said okay, and followed him down the grand stairs. They passed by a bunch of yetis at workstations, and she saw the toys up close. Toy planes and trains that whistled and blew smoke, rocking horses, dolls that could walk and talk, and blue robots that were being repainted red.

Then Jack brought her to another hallway. They passed the kitchen, where Hazel smelt fresh brownies and the ever-present aroma of cinnamon. He showed her the guest bedrooms that had been made for all the other guardians, plus a couple more for other visitors. There was also a gigantic library, apparently inherited from North's old master, Ombric the Wizard. There had also been a lot of new additions as time went on, and one could find almost anything in there.

Down another hallway was a music room, a small movie theater with 20 seats, an indoor swimming pool (seriously?), and a workout area. Once the tour was complete, they went back upstairs to the others. Well, almost. On the way up the wooden stairs, Hazel slipped in a puddle of cocoa and tumbled down eight steps.

Jack's eyes widened, and the others grew quiet at the series of _thunks_, which were followed by a short string of curses.

He flew down to her. "Are you okay?" She sat up, rubbing her head and back.

"Why is it I always get knocked down in your presence?" He extended a hand, and this time she took it. Seeing that other than a couple of bruises, she was unhurt, he smirked.

"The spirit of autumn has a bad habit of _fall_ing."

"Shut up."

Everyone tried not to stare as Hazel reemerged from below. She raised a hand in the air. "I'm okay!" They went back to their business. Lilly was talking with a yeti about making organic cookies, Sandy was waving an angry finger at an elf who was drinking his cocoa, Sunny was sitting by the fire with Tooth, and North and Bunnymund were having a heated "Christmas vs. Easter" discussion.

Jack yawned and rubbed his arm where it had been pierced by the arrow. Hazel gave him a concerned look, but he waved her off. The matter would have come to rest had Baby Tooth not been watching the two of them. She flitted over to Jack's injured arm, chirping rapidly. He shushed her.

"It's okay," he said. "Just a cut. It'll heal." But it was too late. Baby Tooth's frantic chirping had alerted Toothiana herself, who flew over to Jack and eyed the wound.

"Jack," she said, "what happened?"

He rolled his eyes. "It's not a big deal, honestly. One of Eris's minions managed to shoot me in the arm, then left. It wasn't poisoned or anything. Remember, I heal faster than humans." But Tooth didn't back off. She grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him over the balcony, not bothering to use the stairs. Hazel followed, having nothing better to do, as did Baby Tooth.

Tooth sat Jack down on the four-poster bed in his room. Hazel hadn't actually seen the inside when he was showing her around. The walls were the same wooden texture as most of the other rooms at the Pole, but they had intricate snowflake designs. There was a big window as well, where Hazel could see the vast snowy landscape outside. There was a tall bookshelf filled with leather-bound books, a guitar in the corner, and a desk that was covered in drawings. Jack… reads… and plays the guitar… and can draw…

_Well, this day is just full of surprises._

Tooth ordered Jack to take off his hoodie and he did so, for the third time that day. She eyed the tight bandage.

"Did you patch this up yourself?" she asked.

Hazel spoke tentatively. "I did that."

Tooth eyed her, impressed. "Well done. You must have first-aid training. I trust you cleaned it off?" Hazel nodded. "Good." She faced Jack again. "Just let me take a look at it, okay?" He rolled his eyes, but nodded. Tooth carefully unwrapped the blue-stained bandage while Jack held still. He didn't look too happy about being fussed over, but Tooth was so motherly, it made Hazel smile.

The area around the hole was bluer than the rest of his skin, but didn't show any signs of infection. If there was anything fishy, it was undetectable. Hazel grabbed the strange black arrow so Tooth could see it. The fairy frowned.

"I can't tell what it's made of. North might know, you could show him. Swords are his specialty, but he's an expert on a lot of weaponry." Hazel nodded, smiled a "goodbye" at Jack, and walked back upstairs, this time without incident.

"North?" she called. He came over.

"What is it? Is about Jack's arm?"

"Sort of. This is the arrow that hit him. We can't identify the material. Do you know what it is?"

He took the arrow in his hands, turning it over carefully. His expression darkened.

"Oh, yes. This I have seen before."

* * *

**Suspense...**

**Where has North seen these arrows before? What are they?**

**If you have a guess, leave it in a REVIEW.**

**I know you're there, story followers. You can't hide from me forever.**

**Merci, et amor suivant!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Finally, this is done. It's kind of longish compared to the others, and I'm rather pleased with how it turned out. Oh, and a shout-out to my sister, NinjaOkapi512 for helping me out the whole time I've been working on this. If you haven't read her story, you should check it out!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RoTG in any way shape or form. *tear* If I did I would make a sequel, though... just sayin'.**

* * *

"It was centuries ago, not long after I was made Guardian. There was something that was not right, I felt it in my belly. So I went to the globe, and sure enough, the dark smoke was swirling all around Europe. At the time I did not know what it meant. I hopped into my sleigh to see what it was, but what I found was not something I like to remember." North grimaced before he continued. "People in the dirty streets, coughing, moaning. Black boils on many parts of their bodies. They were dying, slowly and painfully, and I could do nothing."

Hazel touched his arm sympathetically, but frowned. "The Black Plague? That was _Eris?_" North nodded and Hazel felt the deep worry growing stronger in her chest. If Eris was strong enough and cruel enough to kill 33% of Europe in the Middle Ages, how could four seasons defeat her?

"She sensed my presence, and came to me. It was the first time we met, and she looked quite different back then. She was strong, fierce, and quite terrifying even to me. But I held my ground. I asked her what she had done to the people, and she laughed. Called it a 'feast' for herself. I was powerless, none of the people there could see me. They had lost belief in everything." His tone was a mix of anger and heartbreak.

"Almost a century later, I saw her again. This time she came to me, at Santoff Claussen. She had a small band of followers with her, all armed with bows and arrows. They came in the night, and I believe her goal was to spread chaos through the village, causing my mentor Ombric and I much trouble. However she did not succeed. The great bear guarding the woods warned us of her presence, and we managed to fend her off. Some of her strange arrows had lodged themselves in trees, and one hit a deer. The wound killed him. The trees seemed to be fine, but some claimed that the branches were wilder than normal for a couple of days afterward."

This concerned Hazel. "What do you think will happen to Jack, then?"

North sighed. "I do not know. He was fine getting you here, da? Nothing strange?"

"No. He said he was fine, and seemed so to me."

He nodded. "We will see. If all is fine, you will still go on the mission as planned."

"Alright. I'll go and see what the situation is downstairs."

Hazel descended the staircase and walked quietly down the hallway and into Jack's room. Tooth was just tying off a fresh bandage. Jack shot Hazel a grin, rolling his eyes as he gestured to Tooth with her motherly ways. Hazel smiled back at him, and at Tooth. The idea of having someone to fuss over you sounded nice to her, even if it would get a little annoying. She saw the Guardians as an odd, occasionally dysfunctional, but overall caring family. They always had each other's backs in one way or another, no matter what.

"North said he's seen the arrows before, but doesn't know what they're made of or if they will have an effect on Jack. He thinks we'll still be okay to leave in the morning." They both nodded in acknowledgement.

Jack's black t-shirt was a stark contrast to his white hair and pale skin. It made him look even more spectral than usual. If not for his carefree smile that graced his lips most of the time, he could have been a ghost. In the midst of the observation, Hazel also noticed the faint white line on his wrists and forearms, barely visible against his complexion. Were they… scars? What from? She didn't have the chance to ponder it any longer however, because Tooth spoke to her.

"So, Hazel," she ventured, "what is it you do, exactly, other than change the color of the leaves?"

The question had to register in her mind for a moment. "Oh… well, I control the autumn breezes, the harvest, and things like that, and work as sort of a temperature transition from summer to winter. I do some work with Halloween too."

Tooth nodded, though Hazel could tell she was inwardly cringing at the thought of the children having so much free sugar. She was the Tooth Fairy, after all. "Do you do anything for Thanksgiving?"

"Er, no… I mean, sort of… not too much. There's not a lot I need to do. I just take that weekend to stay at home and watch the annual Ohio State vs. Michigan football game." Hazel wasn't really a football fan, but the old team rivalry had become part of her culture.

The fairy frowned slightly at this. "You spend Thanksgiving alone?"

Jack obviously sensed Hazel's discomfort, and saved her. "It's not a big deal," he said. "I spent Thanksgiving alone for 300 years and I'm fine." Tooth didn't look entirely convinced, but let the issue drop.

"Okay. You're free to go." Jack sighed in relief and pulled his blue hoodie back over his head. He nudged Hazel, and she followed him out the door, Toothiana and Baby Tooth hovering close behind. They all flew upstairs to rejoin the party. Hazel was surprised to see that the Jackalope had arrived in her absence. She was quietly conversing with Sandy by the fireplace. In the opposite corner, Bunnymund was trying to be inconspicuous as he stared at her. Jack shook his head, and went over to him.

"Make a move."

Bunny looked shell-shocked. "Wh- What?"

Jack rolled his eyes and sighed. "Look. You're never going to get her attention if you just stand in the corner and stare like a twelve-year-old. Get her something to drink."

Bunny looked doubtful. "You're sure about that?"

"Yes. Trust me, I've had experience with these things." This comment made Hazel raise an eyebrow, but she didn't say anything.

"Er, okay. What should I get for her?"

"I don't know. What do kangaroos like to drink?"

"Don't call her a kangaroo!"

"I wasn't. I was calling you a kangaroo."

Hazel looked back and forth between the two as they continued to bicker like siblings. Then she looked at the Jackalope. She was sitting by the fire, but was still rubbing her arms as if cold. Hazel smiled, with the perfect idea. She took a mug and filled it with hot chocolate. On the top she made a small mountain of whipped cream, drizzled chocolate and caramel syrup over it, and threw in a peppermint stick and a dash of cinnamon for a little extra flavor. Without a word, she took it to Bunnymund and placed it in his large paws, pointing to the Jackalope. He looked like a deer in headlights.

"What do I say?"

"Tell her that you got her some hot chocolate," Hazel replied. "Just be natural."

Bunnymund nodded at her, and made his pursuit. The Jackalope smiled and thanked him as he offered her the hot chocolate. Unfortunately, as Bunny tried to take a seat, he missed the chair and his furry rump hit the floor. Jackalope laughed, but in a good-natured, friendly way. With all possible dignity he got up, dusted off, and took his seat properly. A conversation started to bloom between the two. Hazel felt Jack take a step closer to her.

"Would you look at that," he said. "Cottontail is smitten." He smiled, and Hazel smiled as well. Then she felt herself tense. There was something uncomfortable about it all, like a doom cloud in the back of her mind. She shrank back a little.

A nasal voice interrupted the scene. "If you two aren't too busy patching up your boo-boos and hooking up rabbits, we need to organize ourselves for tomorrow morning." As usual, Sunny was glaring at us with distaste.

"What's to organize?" Jack asked. "We know where we're going and what we're doing."

Sunny sighed audibly. "Well, unlike you, some of us actually like to look before we leap. We're also not human popsicles, so we need to bring stuff to keep us warm. You can't go on a flipping Himalayan expedition without proper supplies."

"Fine. Whatever. Let's get it together, then."

After a short discussion, the consensus was that Sunny would be in charge of fire-building supplies, Lilly would take a hefty first-aid kit and some food, and Hazel would carry equipment like bungee cords, cables, ski goggles, and a grappling hook. Jack would be leading the way, since the wintery climate was in his dominion and he would have best control of the wind. Everyone was to carry a weapon in case Eris tried anything.

The Pole's armory was quite extensive. Weaponry of all shapes and sizes awaited them inside. "Take whichever you like," said North. Hazel didn't know where to start. She didn't have the hand-eye coordination for the bow and arrows, not enough strength for a sword, and not enough balance for the spear.

Lilly had a contemplative look on her face, and then left the armory. She came back a couple of minutes later clutching a cast iron frying pan. With a shrug, she said, "I don't take part in violence." This made the corner of Hazel's lip twitch upward into a half-smile.

Sunny selected some golden throwing stars and a curved Egyptian _khopesh. _Jack was armed with a light silver sword. Hazel was still pacing the room for a weapon when her eyes fell upon a dagger sitting atop a crate. The handle was intricately carved with a sort of vine-like pattern, and when she took it out of its leather sheath, she saw the beauty of the shiny, bronze blade. The knife felt perfectly balanced in her hand, as if it were made for her.

North smiled. "Very well. Now we can practice." He led them to a training room, with matted walls and some straw dummies. "Pair up and start sparring." As usual, Hazel went with Jack. To say Jack was the superior fighter was the understatement of the century. Hazel was disarmed within the first thirty seconds. She tried again with the same result. Tooth flitted over to her.

"Get into your stance." Hazel did so. Tooth put her hand to her chin, considering it. "Hold your arm a little higher. Up, up… That's it. Now take a jab at me." With some hesitation, Hazel took a strike at the fairy, which was easily parried. "Warriors who wield a knife must be quick and agile," said Tooth. "Don't hesitate, just go with your gut. Now, I'm going to make a move, and you need to parry my strike." Metal scraped against metal as Hazel blocked the Tooth's sword with the flat of her blade. "Good," she said with a smile.

The lesson continued for another half-hour. Hazel found her rhythm, and found herself feeling like it was coming naturally to her. Tooth taught her a couple of disarming techniques. Then she went to face Jack again. He grinned, and the dual commenced.

His left side was unguarded, so she went for it, but he parried her strike. He tried to disarm her, but she resisted. She advanced on Jack, trying to back him into a wall. However, he realized what Hazel was doing, and used the winds to sail over her head, reversing the role and pushing Hazel to the wall. _So that's how he wants to play it. _With a smirk, Hazel summoned a gust of wind behind an unsuspecting Jack, which sent him toppling clumsily to the floor with his sword skidding out of reach. Before he had time to recover, Hazel was there, pinning him to the ground with her boot.

He smiled up at her. "How about two out of three?" Hazel just chuckled and helped him up.

Sandy entered the training room and made pictures of a bed, some Z's, and a sunrise over his head. North nodded. "Sandy is right. You should get some rest, so that you will be at your best strength for an early start tomorrow. Tooth, will you show Lilly, Sunny and Hazel to their quarters please?" She nodded, and Hazel was about to follow her out the door when she felt a light peck on her arm.

Baby Tooth flew in front of her face and hovered there, still looking upset. Perhaps she hadn't appreciated Hazel beating Jack in their mini duel, or she just didn't appreciate Hazel being there in the first place. Hazel sighed. "Honestly, Baby Tooth, I'm not going to start this with you. There's no need for hostility." The little fairy narrowed her eyes, trying to decide what to make of the autumn spirit. She made an "I'm watching you" gesture before zooming away with her head held high.

Hazel caught up with the others at the end of the hall. Apparently, due to a lack of supervision, the elves had caused some mischief that basically destroyed all but two guest rooms. The Jackalope would be using the smaller room, and the three seasonal spirits would be sharing the larger one. Sunny immediately snagged the cot by the fireplace, Hazel took the one by the window, and Lilly crashed on the couch in the corner. Tooth reminded them to brush and floss before bed, and said good-night. Hazel sighed, and walked into the bathroom. Sure enough, it was stocked with a plethora of dental care products. After following the tooth fairy's orders she washed her face and ran a few fingers through her hair.

On the dressing table by the wall, there were three pairs of plaid pajamas neatly folded. One was red, one pink, and one green. Hazel took the red pair and changed out of her sweater and jeans. She wasn't particularly tired, having slept the night before, but the pajamas were much more comfortable, and a few hours' nap couldn't do any harm. Sunny took twenty minutes to herself in the bathroom "doing her nightly moisturizing ritual." When she was done she grabbed the pink pajamas, leaving Lilly the green ones.

Hazel sat on her bed and gazed out the window at the dark night sky, filled to the brim with stars. The universe was so… big. It had a way of making one feel very, very small.

She felt another depression in the mattress, and turned to see Lilly. "They're beautiful tonight, aren't they?" asked the spring spirit. "It's hard to find starry nights like this anymore."

Hazel nodded. "I know."

The two sat in quiet for a while. The scene was eerily peaceful. The light of the moon was reflecting off the crystalline snow, creating the sort of winter night that never truly gets dark. The crackling fire was a soothing ambience that eased her tensions about tomorrow.

* * *

Jack was, quite frankly, exhausted. He had hardly rested in several days, and it was catching up with him. He didn't bother to stifle his yawn as he changed into a pair of sweatpants and shrugged off his beloved hoodie to go to sleep. The mattress on the bed seemed to swallow his skinny form as he willing sank deeper. The wind put out the candle on his bedside table, and his eyes didn't even put up a fight when they fell closed.

_He was running and running and couldn't stop. The black of the forest curled around his feet, beckoning him to stay. Thunder cracked, and a lightning bolt struck the ground ten feet behind him. He just needed more time, there wasn't enough time…_

_The wind howled, but it was not the friendly wind he knew. This wind was foreign, menacing, evil. It tried time and time again to knock him down, but he kept running. He had to keep running, or he would be too late. It was coming, the end of all things. And it was all his fault._

_He made it to a clearing. He was close, he could feel it. His icy blue eyes scanned the scene, and fell when he saw the wreckage. All that remained was rubble and charred wood. Even the moon failed to shine. Then he saw the rest. The bodies, all the bodies…_

_It was too much. He felt as though his cold heart was being unceremoniously ripped from his chest. He was too late. He hadn't saved them. He hadn't saved them! It was building up, too much for him to take, and he found himself screaming, screaming at the night, at the moon, at everything. Then he was down on his knees, all strength failing him. The dead grasses ignited, and the flames licked the ground, coming closer and closer until they threatened to engulf him completely…_

_Jack… Jack…_

* * *

**I just love cliffhangers, don't you?**

**My school starts in three days (EW!), and I've been scrambling to finish all this summer work, which is why my updates have been slow lately. But hey- good news is, I got a 90% on the exam for my summer French course! At least that's done. Now I have to write this essay... hmm...**

**You know what you should do now? You should review. I've resorted to this- Bring the count up to fifteen for a new chapter? Not so hard, right? Remember, suggestions are always welcome! I'll also give you a cookie...  
**

**Thank you for being awesome!  
**

**-E**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Bonjour, mes copains! **

**Though I suppose I should say "bon soir" since it's one o'clock in the morning here in the eastern time zone... oh well. It's daytime somewhere.**

**Wow. Off topic. Okay.**

**As you can clearly see, i have posted a new chapter for you. Read it, enjoy it, embrace it. ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own this stuff.**

* * *

_Jack… Jack…_

"Jack! Jack, stop! Wake up!"

Someone was shaking his shoulder violently and lightly slapping his face. His icy blue eyes snapped open and were met by a pair of golden brown ones that were full of concern. Hazel was standing beside him, as well as Lilly, Sunny, Jackie and Bunny. He could feel his hands still shaking, and swore there was a smoky scent in the room.

Bunny approached him. "What was that, mate? You were screaming your head off." Jack blinked, sitting up. With every second, his memory of the nightmare was fading. He had seen something, something horrible… but he couldn't remember what it was. All he could recall was that feeling of agony, the way his heart was being unceremoniously ripped apart and burned to ashes. He also remembered being so afraid, so confused, unable to think straight. It made his head hurt, and he massaged his temples.

There was a small knock on the doorframe, and the Sandman floated into the room. Jack met his eyes, silently asking for answers. Sandy placed a hand on Jack's temple, and closed his eyes. A few seconds later, he opened them and frowned. Above his head he made a picture of one of Pitch's nightmares, then a big "X."

"What do you mean, it wasn't one of the nightmares?" Bunny inquired, walking around to face Sandy. "What else would it be?" To this, Sandy shrugged.

Hazel broke in. "You don't think it was Eris's arrow, do you? I mean, she's the only person other than Pitch who might be after Jack, and it's something that only happened to him, not us."

Jack considered this. Eris was the spirit of chaos. It was hard for him to believe that the arrows would have no effect other than the physical piercing of the skin. Also, "chaotic" was a good word to describe his mind during the dream. It made quite a bit of sense, really. "I think you're right," he said to Hazel.

The Jackalope spoke. "But the question remains: What else will the arrow do? Is it only this one dream, or will there be more? And if it affects him at night, will it also affect him during the day?"

"I don't know," said Bunny. "Jack, have you noticed yourself feeling strange ever since the arrow hit you?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I thought I was fine. The wound itself didn't even hurt that much." Was it already affecting his mind? Of course, if it was, he probably wouldn't know. That unsettled him.

Jackalope sighed. "I think that all we can do for now is stay calm and see what happens. If it's Eris, she's just trying to mess with you. We can't let her succeed. Try to get some rest for a few more hours, and then you can still leave in the morning as planned."

Sandman and Bunny nodded, and the three of them went back to their quarters. Once they were gone, Sunny yawned.

"Jeez. Next time you have a bad dream, try not to be so loud about it. This whole thing interrupted my beauty sleep."

Jack snorted. "Sleep all you want, Sunburn. It's not going to help."

She rolled her eyes at him and didn't reply. He turned to Hazel. "What's with the matching pajamas?"

Hazel shrugged. "They were in our room. They're rather comfortable. Plus, they came in our custom colors," she added with a faint smile. Her smiles were always like that. Faint. Even when she laughed, it was slightly held back. Why was that? What was she so afraid of?

His thoughts were interrupted by Sunny moaning for the other two to get back in their room so she could go to bed. Hazel gestured to the hothead summer spirit with a "What can you do?" expression on her face. She said good night and left the room, her long hair swishing freely behind her. Lilly lingered, and with her dreamy voice, said, "I suppose it's how she wants you to feel."

Jack was caught off guard. "What? She does? Um… wait, who?"

"Eris. She gave you that dream to make you afraid, to mess with your head. You can't let her. Other people only affect us if we want them to." She turned and walked out of the room, leaving Jack slightly boggled, but vaguely comforted. The gentle spring spirit, he had found, often knew just what to say.

Jack tried, but he didn't sleep the rest of the night. He considered asking Sandy for a shot of dreamsand, but thought he might be out spreading good dreams to the children of the world. And honestly, at that moment it was too much effort. Instead he lay awake, staring at the ceiling and decorating it with frost patterns. The hours passed in a blur, as they often did. When he thought it was late enough, he rose and went to the kitchen.

No one was around except for the elves, many of which were up to their usual shenanigans. Jack had to separate a few from the toaster before they set the place on fire. He went into the walk-in fridge and scanned for something tasty. His eyes found a box of yogurt cups, but when he opened it, he found it empty. Outside, he saw one of the Dingles with a guilty expression on his face. The winter spirit sighed. Nothing else appealed to him, so he walked back out and closed the door.

He felt the need to distract himself, so he sailed back to his bedroom to get the old guitar. He took it up to one of the rafters in the Globe Room and started strumming a familiar Mumford & Sons tune. Jack relaxed against the oak wood surface, his bare feet carelessly dangling over either side. He didn't realize it when he started singing.

_Don't let me darken your door  
That's not what I came here for  
No it's not what I came here for_

_And I won't hear you cry when I'm gone_  
_I won't know if I'm doing you wrong_  
_I never know if I'm doing you wrong_

_A constant reminder of where I can find her_  
_A light that might give up the way_  
_Is all that I'm asking for_  
_without her I'm lost_  
_But my love, don't fade away_***

"I love that song," a voice said below him. Slightly startled, he looked down to see Tooth with a cup of tea. "You play it a lot."

Jack responded with a smile and continued playing. Tooth flew up to join him on an adjacent rafter. He'd been playing guitar for over a century, but it wasn't until a year ago he'd had anyone to play for. It sometimes made him uncomfortable to have people listening, but he liked the way it made him feel seen, realizing that he wasn't invisible anymore.

_And your light's always shining on  
And I've been traveling oh so long  
I've been traveling oh so long_

He often tried not to think of how horrible it felt for those 300 years. Granted, the pain wasn't constant, but there were periodic bursts of utter loneliness. One minute he would be starting a snowball fight, the next a child would walk right through him, sending that startling chill up his back. Perhaps he grew accustomed to it, but it would still hurt every time.

_A constant reminder of where I can find her  
Light that might give up the way  
Is all that I'm asking for without her I'm lost  
Oh my love don't fade away  
Oh my love don't fade away* _

As the song faded to a close, Tooth smiled like a proud mother watching her son. Baby Tooth had also appeared, and was carrying the expression of a dazed fangirl. Jack chuckled, snapping the tiny fairy out of her stupor. She blushed a pale shade of rose.

"Are you nervous?" Tooth asked.

He nodded. "Yeah."

She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It'll be fine. You're strong, and so are the other seasonal spirits. Remember, you bested the Nightmare King once. All you have to do for now is find the Phoenix." Tooth smiled reassuringly, then fluttered away.

Jack wanted to believe her, he really did. But he couldn't shake the feeling that this quest was going to throw at them more than they bargained for. Eris wouldn't go down without a fight, and she would more than likely try to stop their plan from succeeding, even if she didn't exactly know what that plan was. Who knows? Maybe the Phoenix would not help them. Maybe Bunny was wrong about the legend. Maybe they wouldn't make it in time, or even make it at all. And if they did, he knew it wouldn't be the end.

He was torn from his thoughts by a cinnamon bagel landing in his lap. Hazel perched on the rafter where Tooth had been two minutes before. She had changed back into her gray sweater, also sporting some black leggings, snow boots and wool socks. Her hair was woven into a French braid down her back.

"Good morning," she said. "Ready to go?"

Jack ripped off a small hunk of the bagel and popped it in his mouth. He swallowed, and said, "I guess so."

"Well come on, then." Hazel slid off the rafter and the breezes set her gently on the ground. Jack followed suit. Sunny and Lilly entered the room, both bundled up in heavy white parkas. The summer spirit groaned. "Can we just get this over with?"

After double-checking that they had all the necessary supplies, and Hazel grabbed a ski jacket, scarf and hat for herself, they were about to leave when Jack felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Sandy with a small wooden chest. His arm was stretched out in offering. Jack took the chest, which was about the size of his hand, and cracked it open. It was full of dreamsand. Jack smiled at Sandy.

"Thanks, little man." Jack handed the chest to Lilly, who put it in her backpack with the first-aid supplies. North came up behind the four seasonal spirits and patted each of them gently on the shoulders. "Good luck," he said.

Jack looked around at his companions. They nodded in silent agreement to leave. By the looks on all their faces, they were ready for anything, even Sunny. He grinned and led the way as the four darted out the window and into the open air.

* * *

*****"Reminder" by Mumford and Sons**

**Skadoosh.**

**FINALLY they left. I wrote way too much filler before getting to that, didn't I? I think so. Meh.****No matter. What's done is done. The plot can pick up now.**

**I'm tired. Sorry.**

**Please review/follow/all that good stuff! It would be much appreciated!**

**Love always,**

**-E**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I'm terribly sorry for not updating sooner. Unfortunately, the combination of school, golf and theater is making life complicated. I will try to post sooner next time, which should be easier now that I know where this is going from here.**

**Thank you for your patience!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own RotG.**

**Without furthur ado... I present your new chapter.**

* * *

"Where are we?" Hazel yelled ahead to Jack.

"Just crossing into Kazakhstan," he replied. "We're about halfway there."

"Can these winds go any faster?" hollered a very put-out Sunny. "I want to get this over with. I can't feel my face." Jack just chuckled. Hazel secretly wished they'd left the high-strung summer spirit back in the tropics. She'd been whining almost nonstop, and asking questions such as "Are we there yet?" and "Why are the winds up here so _cold?_" every five minutes.

They'd been flying for about a half-hour high above the clouds. The reasoning was that if they were high enough, Eris' minions wouldn't be able to see them or reach them. They couldn't afford to deal with that.

Hazel wrapped the scarf a little tighter around her neck. The air was quite chilly, but she tried not to think about it. There wasn't much to look at other than clouds, so she just looked forward at Jack. A silly grin was plastered on his face, like riding the winds was the most exhilarating thing in the entire universe. Every time they would pick up speed or changed direction, a small chuckle would escape his lips.

Hazel cracked a smile. It was hard not to look at the Guardian of Fun and not be cheered up a little. When she was with him, her heart felt lighter. She wasn't afraid of being hurt anymore. The nagging voice, the one that always told her to shut it out, seemed to have gone on mute over the days she'd been spending in Jack's company. She didn't feel the need to be guarded. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

She felt an icy tap on her shoulder. Of course, it was none other than the winter spirit himself, grinning. "Twenty Questions?"

The autumn spirit raised her eyebrows, but shrugged and said, "Sure. Why not?"

"Okay. Think of something."

Hazel pondered for a few seconds, and then nodded. "Got it."

"Animal, vegetable, mineral or other?"

"Other."

"Is it bigger than a bread box?"

"Why is that always a question?"

"I don't know, it just is. What's your answer?"

"No."

"Is it something you can purchase?"

"Yes."

"Do you hold it when you use it?"

"Umm… sometimes."

"Are there many different kinds of it?"

"Yes."

"Does it require electricity?"

"No."

At the end of his twenty questions, Jack silently contemplated. He scrunched his eyebrows together so far that Hazel swore they would merge into one. He sighed and said, "Er… a mug?"

Hazel chuckled. "Nope."

"Well, that's all I got."

"A candle."

"Oh."

"Alright. Your turn. Is it an animal, vegetable, mineral or other?"

"Min-" Before he could finish the word, the winds carrying him began to thrash violently, dragging them toward the mountains below. Snow began to swirl in the air, creating a blizzard.

"Jack! What's happening?" She tried to yell, but her voice was drowned out by the storm. Jack's face was full of panic, and it contorted in pain as he clutched his left arm.

Hazel tried to fight the rogue winds, but they were too strong. They were pushing her apart from Jack and the others, all of whom were flailing helplessly.

Suddenly, there was nothing underneath her. She was plummeting down, and fast. She tried to call her breezes, but not a single one answered. The bright white snow clouded over her vision. Hazel closed her eyes, waiting for the worst…

But it never came.

It took her a moment to register the warmth of the air that caught her. It pulled her up, slowly and gently, as the blizzard dispersed. Two warm hands grabbed her own.

When Hazel opened her eyes, she saw Sunny and Lily on either side of her, both looking rather shaken.

"What… what just happened?" Hazel managed.

"Jack's winds went insane. They were completely out of his control. Sunny was able to finally subdue them," said Lily.

"How?"

"Summer counteracts winter," Sunny stated matter-of-factly. "As for Frostbite, I think he was thrown into that mountainside." She pointed to her right, at a very tall mountain with a cave near the peak.

Hazel felt a pang in her gut. He could be anywhere in that ocean of snow. He could be hurt. She was certain that the mountain cave was the one where they would find the Phoenix, but what good was that if they couldn't find Jack?

After testing to make sure her breezes were obeying her again, Hazel flew to the mountainside, with the sinking feeling she was looking for a needle in a haystack. She scanned every inch of the expanse before her. The bitter cold nipped at her cheeks, but she didn't care. She was growing desperate. Where was the winter spirit?

The minutes felt like hours as the worry swelled in her chest. Finally, she saw something brown poking out of the snow. Hazel picked it up. It was Jack's staff. That meant that he couldn't be far away. She prodded with it in the snow, hoping that maybe the connection between Jack and his staff would help find him. After a couple of minutes doing so, the end of the staff hit something soft that let out a groan.

Relief flooded over her. She found his arm, and pulled him up out of the snow. His eyelids fluttered open, as he mumbled, "Ouch."

On complete impulse, Hazel threw her arms around him. Then she released him and gave him a swat on the shoulder. "Don't scare us like that! Do you know how worried I was- I mean, we were? What happened back there, anyway?"

He sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. It was weird. One moment I was fine, and the next it was complete chaos. The wind and snow was out of my control, I was scared and confused, I couldn't stop it. Then there was this horrible pain in my left arm. I tried to calm the storm, but I could only make it worse. Then I got thrown into the mountain, and you found me here."

Hazel frowned. "You said your arm was hurting… let me see." Unbothered by the cold, Jack removed his hoodie and turned so Hazel could reach the bandaged arm. She carefully removed the wrappings and audibly gasped at what she saw.

"What is it?" Jack asked. Hazel simply shook her head, dumbfounded. Mingling with the silvery-blue color of his blood was an inky black that seeped from the wound. The area was dotted with grains of what looked like black sand. A horrible realization dawned on her.

"Jack, when you were describing how you felt, you said it was complete _chaos_."

"Yeah…" Then his face fell as he discovered what he'd said. Chaos. Eris's arrow. It was creating chaos in his mind. But why the black sand?

Jack cringed and clutched his temple. "Head hurts."

"Jack? Jack, are you okay?"

With some effort, he released his head and looked back at her. "I'll be fine. Come on. We need to get to that cave and find the Phoenix."

"Are you sure?"

He smiled weakly. "You worry too much." He grabbed his hoodie and staff, and started up to the cave. Hazel, Sunny and Lily followed, shivering.

Looking at the mouth of the cave, Hazel was reminded of Dr. Seuss's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." She could easily imagine it being the lair of the grumpy green Grinch. Why a powerful firebird would want to dwell there, she had no clue.

They all paused. There was a joint sense of foreboding that couldn't be explained. With hesitation, they walked forth into the cave, their footsteps echoing against the cold stone. Not only was it dark, it seemed to swallow the light. Nothing about the place felt right. The Phoenix was supposed to be warmth and light. The cave was cold, dark, and unfriendly.

Something in the blackness caught Hazel's leg, pulling her backwards and causing her to cry out and trip over the greatly uneven surface. In doing so, she cut her hand against a sharp rock and twisted her ankle in a very painful manner. _Perfect. _She tried moving it, but it hurt. Hazel winced, and tentatively called, "Guys? You there?"

Then she heard another startled noise, about fifty feet away or so. "I'm okay," called a voice she recognized as Lily's. "Something tripped me."

"What do you mean, something- ah!" Sunny fell to the ground as well. There was no sign of Jack.

Smoke began to curl through the cave, along with tendrils of glimmering black sand. Hazel's heart started to beat faster and faster, until she thought it might run out of her chest. Her body racked with shivers, and it wasn't just from the cold.

A raspy voice spoke in the darkness. "So nice of you to join us." Then came a cackling laugh so horrible, all Hazel wanted to do was cover her ears and scream.

* * *

**Shit just got real.**

**Please review! It doesn't have to be much. Just a little sign, so i know. Anything. Anything at all.**

**I already used that one, didn't I? Meh. Oh well. I'm using it again.  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here we are again... **

**Did you like my sort-of-a-cliffhanger? I do hope so. **

**You know what would be supermegafoxyawesomehot? A review. Or maybe two or three.**

**Thanks, and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I hath not attained ownership to Rise of the Guardians.**

* * *

"Come now, my dears. You can't tell me you didn't see this this coming."

"Show yourself, Eris, unless you are too much of a coward," spat Sunny.

Another cackle was followed by a ghastly purple light illuminating the face of Chaos. She wore a wicked smile, displaying her silver fangs. Leaning down toward Sunny, she whispered, "Hot-temperedness isn't very becoming, you know." Sunny only scowled. Eris stood up straight again and began to pace the cave.

"I must say, it was surprisingly easy to get to all of you. Once I caught wind of your little plan, I just had to get rid of that bloody bird and wait. Quite simple, but you fell right into our clutches, like moths to a flame."

"What have you done with the Phoenix?" Hazel demanded.

"Oh, you know his type. Very flighty." She laughed at her own joke, but the seasonal spirits remained grave. "We have disposed of him for the time being, though I'm sure he'll be back. What does it matter? He brought all of you here for me. The spirits of Spring, Summer, Fall… hmm, I say, where is our dear Jack?"

Hazel's head was pounding. She was scared for all of them, especially Jack. She felt in her gut that something was wrong with him. The way Eris sounded so confident and mirthful did little to sooth her anxiety.

There was a groan, and the unnatural violet illuminated the winter spirit leaning heavily against the cave wall, practically digging his hand into his temple. "Stop it," he mumbled blearily. Eris only laughed.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, dear boy. It'll wear off eventually. After all, my prince desires so very deeply to be the one to finish you off."

"Who is this prince?" Sunny asked.

"I should think that obvious," called a smooth, male voice from deeper in the cave. "Obviously I overestimated you. You did fall so easily into our clutches." From the blackness emerged a tall figure donning a black robe, with skin that appeared sickly and gray. He smiled wickedly.

"No," muttered Jack, "It can't be…"

"Miss me?" Pitch Black, the Nightmare King, never looked more amused. "You cannot kill fear, Jack."

"But… how? It's only been a year and a half since we defeated you. Which, by the way, we will gladly do again."

Pitch chuckled. "Oh, Jack, you do always give me a good laugh. Yes, there I was, weak and hated. I thought it would be decades before I would be at work again. But then, she came. She restored me." He moved closer to Eris and placed a hand on her shoulder. She flashed a repulsive grin.

"Don't you see?" she said. "It is a cycle. Fear creates chaos, and chaos creates fear. I needed Pitch, and he needed me, and thus we are one." Hazel cringed at the thought, as well as the ceaseless pain in her ankle. Jack groaned again, and Hazel could tell he was fighting to stay standing. Pitch approached the boy.

"I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see you like this. You look… awful." Jack narrowed his eyes at Pitch and spat on his feet. Pitch sighed, and flicked his wrist. Tendrils of black sand began to wrap themselves around Jack's arms and legs. With feeble strength the winter spirit tried to pull free, but it was of no use. "They never learn," Pitch stated simply. Then he turned to the other three in the cave.

"You must know you can never escape me. There will always be fear in your hearts. I can feel it right now. It is swelling, growing stronger. I can read you all like a book." He whirled on Lilly. "Look at you. You act so sweet, so innocent, but there is such fear. You fear that soon, everything you are, everything you represent, will be destroyed. You good green earth will be gone, and you will wither away to nothing." Lilly's eyes visibly widened, and her breathing quickened at his face was six inches from her own. He smirked, and moved to Sunny.

"And you. Always acting so strong, so fierce and fiery. Pretending nothing is wrong, and replying with harsh words anytime someone tries to get a look at your heart. You ask for no one, you need no one. But your fear is even deeper. Don't you remember? You had one chance, and you failed. For 200 years you've tried to forget. Look at yourself. What have you become?" Sunny was trembling. "You can ignore your past if you want to, but it can never be erased." She made a small sound between a choke and a sob.

Then he faced Hazel. She didn't believe her heart was capable of beating any faster. He grinned. "Poor, poor Hazel. So young and naïve, with fear almost as fresh as a child's. You are afraid of love. You are afraid to feel, because somewhere your mind is telling you that it will only ever hurt you. Perhaps that is true. How could something like love ever be felt toward you, and how could it ever last? I'm sure your parents could have answered that for you. You tore them apart, after all." A single tear rolled slowly down her cheek.

Eris was greatly amused by the whole scene. She went right up to Jack, whose head was hanging limply. She placed a bony finger under his chin and lifted it up. "Aw. Poor baby. Don't fight it, dear. You're only making it harder for yourself."

Jack, unable to stand it any longer, let out a great cry of anguish. Ice sparked from his limbs, freezing and destroying his bonds. Even The Queen of Chaos and the Nightmare King looked afraid as their power exploded before their eyes, knocking them to the ground. Eris growled, and yelled, "Just you wait! The war has only just begun!" before she and Pitch disappeared into a hood of shadows.

There was a minute of absolute silence. Even the winds outside stopped howling. Slowly, Hazel's senses awoke. First her sight, as the black of the cave began to dissipate, making room for a thin spread of light. Then her ability to hear, as she became conscious of the rushing wind, the shifting rock, the echoes of movement. She smelt a hint of smoke in the air, as though contaminated by the very presence of their enemy. Last came the sudden throbbing of her badly twisted ankle, and the cold mountain air nipping at her skin.

Another soft groan sounded from a few feet away. Jack was curled up I the fetal position, clutching his scalp at the nape of his neck and his face contorting in anguish. "No, no… stop…" he mumbled in a broken voice. Hazel crawled to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Jack. We have to get out of here."

If he heard her, there was so sign of it. He appeared to relax slightly at her touch, but it was to no avail. Growing more worried by the second, Hazel felt his forehead. It was warm. _That can't be good._ Beads of moisture were forming rapidly on his skin, and his pale coloring suddenly looked sickly. Hazel found herself stroking his face, almost like a mother would to her child. It comforted her, by attempting to comfort him.

"No, Emma, go away. You'll get the fever too…" he mumbled deliriously. Feebly, he tried to swat away Hazel's caring hand, but he was too weak to do much about it.

Upon looking up, Hazel saw Lilly and Sunny kneeling aside Jack as well, both looking shaken.

"I don't suppose there's any way to call the Guardians from here, is there?"

Sunny didn't respond, but Lilly appeared contemplative. After a minute, she spoke tentatively, "I have an idea, but I don't know that it will work."

"We have to try, Lilly. What are you thinking?"

Lilly unzipped a pocket of her bag and pulled out a burlap pouch. When she spilled out the contents into her hand, Hazel saw that it was full of small dried leaves. The fall and summer spirits raised their eyebrows with suspicion. As if she knew what Hazel and Sunny were thinking, Lilly said, "It isn't what it looks like. Just watch."

The spring spirit closed her eyes for a few seconds, whispered something into the pile of leaves, and a multicolored aura began to glow around them. Then they swiftly blew away, still sparkling with magic.

"Since Bunny was the old spring spirit, we still have a connection. The leaves will always find him, and should deliver the message within ten minutes," Lilly explained. Hazel smiled at her, as did Sunny. She couldn't help but notice that the usual malice behind the summer spirit's eyes was gone. Whatever Pitch meant by his little speech, it had shaken Sunny in ways that couldn't be easily explained.

Hazel never thought about how old Sunny was. She's always assumed that she was young, being up-to-date in fashion, slang and attitude. But really, Sunny was almost as old as Jack. Suddenly, it all started to make sense. Her push to be modern, shallow attitude, rude and defensive behavior. Something in her past was so haunting, she had to try everything she could to forget.

Knowing it was a bad idea, but risking it anyway, Hazel turned to the summer spirit. "Hey, Sunny?"

"What?" There was no rudeness or annoyance in the tone, which Hazel took as a good sign.

"What did Pitch mean back there, about your past? Something that happened when you were human?"

Sunny closed her eyes and leaned against the cave wall. "I really rather not talk about it."

"Okay." She knew it was wise to give Sunny her space if she didn't feel like opening up. Hazel could understand that feeling. Every time some nosy spirit (or Jack) had asked her about her human life, she tended to veer around the question.

_Oh, my parents fought a lot. Yelling, screaming, but only hitting occasionally. They never wanted me in their lives. I was a mistake. I was the reason they divorced. So, you know, the usual. And did I mention I left my sister behind the pick up the pieces?_

Not the best conversation topic.

Her thoughts were interrupted by approaching sleigh bells. She perked up, and let out a great sigh of relief as North managed to land on the treacherous mountainside. Bunny hopped out as well, looking rather green under his gray fur. Both rushed to Jack, who still lay feverishly on the ground. North, frowning, felt his forehead, then picked him up and carried him to the sleigh.

Hazel pushed herself up and made her way out of the cave, limping heavily. A supporting arm slipped around her torso, and Hazel looked up at Lilly, who was smiling in her friendly way. Hazel returned the smile, and put her arm over Lilly's shoulders. Once the two were comfortably sitting in the sleigh, sunny climbed in beside them, shivering violently in the wintery air. Luckily, Bunny handed them each a thick wool blanket. He was kneeling next to Jack, keeping the boy from jostling around as the sleigh took off with incredible speed.

There were about thirty seconds of insanity, during which Hazel was seriously questioning North's flying skills. They tore through the sky at mind-blowing speeds, did two loop-de-loops, and went up and down like a rollercoaster. Hazel could feel the contents of her stomach threatening to leap out her throat.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. They flew steadily over the clouds. Hazel let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and slumped against the wood. No one said a word until they were pulling in at the Pole. While North tended the reindeer, Bunny scooped up Jack and brought him to his bedroom. Hazel followed, gliding on a breeze. Once Jack was settled above the covers, she felt his forehead again. Still lukewarm, but better than before.

"I don't we can do anything," said Bunny solemnly. "We just have to wait for it to pass."

Hazel sighed and inspected Jack's arm again. The wound was still seeping with black. Bunny took notice of this, and worked Jack's hoodie off of him. He frowned at the inky substance, and it turned into a scowl when he noticed the black sand.

"What is it?" Hazel asked, worriedly.

The Pooka stood at his full height, though sighing deeply. "Dark magic. Chaos mixed with nightmares… I'm not sure how long it will last." Hazel set down, suppressing a yawn and a grimace of pain as she put some weight on her ankle. Bunny obviously wasn't fooled, because he said, "Hey, how about you take a rest? I'll watch him." She tried to protest, but he ushered her out to the great room, where the others waited.

Hazel plopped onto a couch, and an elf brought her a cup of hot cider, which she took gratefully. It warmed her to the very core. Lilly claimed the big armchair next to Hazel. Sunny was steaming in the corner.

"It's just her way of dealing with stress," explained Lilly. "She doesn't mean to be so snappy and rude all the time. Inside, she really is a good person."

Hazel stared at the crackling fire. "So what now?"

Lilly sighed. "I don't know."


End file.
